Photo Gallery: IVF: Five Families' Stories

Most people don’t consider the possibility that they might not be able to have a child. But for the millions of Americans diagnosed as infertile, a world of difficult choices awaits. Medical procedures that address infertility are expensive, often painful, sometimes dangerous, and don’t guarantee success.

The Del-Zio's celebrate their wedding day in 1968. While they each had children from previous marriages, the couple wanted children of their own. Unfortunately, Doris developed an ovarian cyst that required surgery, and blocked fallopian tubes that prevented pregnancy.

|Doris and John Del-Zio;http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/special_features/photo_gallery/babies_gallery_03.jpg|http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/special_features/photo_gallery/babies_gallery_03_t.jpg|

The Del-Zios' failed attempt to undergo the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1973 led to a highly publicized lawsuit, which they won in 1978. The couple never had children together.

|Doris and John Del-Zio;http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/special_features/photo_gallery/babies_gallery_04.jpg|http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/special_features/photo_gallery/babies_gallery_04_t.jpg|

"When you go to the doctor and he tells you that you're not going to be able to have a baby... it's like the world comes crashing down on you."

- Doris Del Zio

|Doris and John Del-Zio;http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/special_features/photo_gallery/babies_gallery_05.jpg|http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/special_features/photo_gallery/babies_gallery_05_t.jpg|

Larry Greil and his wife Barbara both endured medical procedures in their quest to conceive a child. After considering the costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the high chance of failure, they ultimately chose to adopt.

Carol Langer and her husband began trying to have children in 1976, after four years of marriage. After a number of tests, Carol found out that both of her fallopian tubes were blocked. Her attempts to conceive via in vitro fertilization (IVF) were unsuccessful.

Judy and Roger Carr's first attempts at conceiving a child resulted in ectopic pregnancies, which required the removal of Judy's fallopian tubes. Soon after, they met with Howard and Georgeanna Jones at their new in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic in Norfolk, Virginia.